Missouri is known as the "Show Me State"... and they have a lot to show off too! Here are some of our favorite places to visit when traveling on a Missouri road trip vacation:
Branson is full of attractions, and you can easily spend a few days here taking in all the entertainment options for the entire family. While you have top-notch shows to attend, many people flock to the area to take advantage of the natural beauty of Table Rock Lake. If you visit Branson, our favorite show is Presleys' Country Jubilee. It was the first show on "the strip" - and after seeing several shows in Branson, this one is still our favorite. One night we went early and got to take part in a Gospel sing-a-long of old time hymns too!
Branson is also home to museums, and one you can't find anyplace else is the Titanic Museum. When you enter, you follow the path of an actual passenger on the doomed ocean liner, which makes the experience much more personal.
Dick's 5 and 10 is an old fashioned 5 and dime store, and you can spend hours looking thru all their merchandise! Lots of fun and unique souveniers of your visit to Branson, Missouri.
A few minutes south of Branson in Point Lookout, Missouri you'll find a real treat! The Beverly Hillbillies Car! It is located at the Ralph Foster Museum on the campus of College of the Ozarks. A great photo op for every fan of this classic TV show.
While in Branson take advantage of the mini-golf, go-karts, novelty museums and frozen custard too!
One of the iconic symbols of Missouri is the St. Louis Arch! You can even ride to the top, but we didn't on our visit - the line was too long. Still work a stop on your Missouri vacation for a great photo op of the monument beside the Mississippi River.
While in St. Louis, there are other attractions you'll want to visit. If you are a fan of music, you'll want to visit Scott Joplin's house. Joplin was one of the great ragtime composers, and his music is well known to us today thanks to the movie The Sting. While there, you'll learn a lot about Joplin, and even get a turn playing the piano there!
There are other beautiful and historic homes in St. Louis to enjoy, including the Campbell House, Cupples House, and Eugene Field House.
Everyone needs to visit Hannibal at some point when on a Missouri road trip! It was the boyhood home of Samuel Langhorne Clemons, also known as Mark Twain. While there you can also see Huck Finn's home, take a turn painting the fence as described in Tom Sawyer. Becky Thatcher's house is right there too, and the Mississippi River is directly across the street. It is easy to see why the river figured so prominently in Twain's writings.
Be sure to also visit the Tom Sawyer Cave, where the tour guide will point out locations described in Twain's writings.
Ste. Genevieve is Missouri's oldest town, being settled in the early 1700's on the west bank of the Mississippi River. They've done a wonderful job of preserving old homes, and it really gives a great idea of a town of the era.
The National Churchill Museum is on the campus of Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. It is easy to access from the Highway making it a nice stop. It is in a church designed in 1677 by Christopher Wren - the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury. The church was moved from London to Fulton and celebrates Sir Winston Churchill. Westminster College has a beautiful campus too!
That's right! Stonehenge is alive and well in Missouri!
Well it isn't THE Stonehenge, but it makes a fun stop if you are driving down Route 66. It is actually a half-size version of Stonehenge and is at the former University of Missouri Rolla campus.
There are several Laura Ingalls Wilder properties across the mid-west, and the home in Mansfield is significant because it is where she wrote her beloved Little House series. If you're a fan of the books, you'll love seeing many actual artifacts that are held there including Pa's fiddle.
Ha Ha Tonka State Park, on Lake of the Ozarks has a lot of natural beauty and hiking. What makes this park unique is the ruins of a castle! Hike to the castle and enjoy beautiful views!
Just 40 miles west of St. Louis is the home of Daniel Boone. Every school child learns about Daniel Boone, and it is interesting to see his home along with the other buildings from nearby that they have gathered to give a glimpse of life in the early 1800's.